(Original post by nespix)
Well someone I know now works for a top London Law firm after having graduated from UCL...their 'daddy' owns a small takeaway and they went to one of the worst secondary schools in our area. It's an attitude like yours which sets people back in life from what they're truly capable of.

Also if you ask people, the majority dont know what they want to do when they finish their degree. I dont think anyone sets out with a definite plan (unless its something obvious like becoming a nurse/doctor, but even then you can specialise and you might end up doing something different from what you originally intended). Also if everyone did courses which did lead to employment specifically related to that degree and no one did courses because theyre interested and enjoy it, a lot of subjects would disappear altogether and we'd have a lot of people doing courses they arent interested in but it will lead to a certain job, meaning less motivated people performing badly. If people are talented and able and put the effort in then they can and should do whatever they're passionate about, regardless of what the final outcome will be. Having a degree in something shows a lot about you as a person and makes your employment prospects broader than people who havent got one (not that Im saying you *need* a degree to get a good job, but it obviously helps and gives you an advantage and shows you have certain skills).

(Original post by blank_smile)
From what I have seen, those who study HR, politics, sociology, psychology, neuroscience,philosophy, forensic science etc. Tend to study for the own personal fulfillment. Because in reality there are no jobs, for these courses. and if there ARE the jobmarket is so tiny that only the top notch people get them.

Whereas courses like, dental technology, nursing, medicine, accounting, teaching, special education, computer science, are job specific, so grads know where they are going with them in life.

I feel like that and I know its true. I personally put in a application for psychology and biology,bcos I like the subjects, but LIKING them isnt enough I guess, but I am gonna leave it, and do a proper course, cos in relality the above courses dont get YOU jobs!

What do you guys think about this? IS it so?

Look at grad schemes. There are about three catagories:

"Any Degree". Often for management, project management and business and probably loads of others.
"Numerate Degree". More technical, analyst or accountancy based
"Specified Degree". Accountant, Engineer, Doctor.

When I was applying There were a great many jobs that didn't specify the degree needed. I have worked with plenty of people who did Politics or the arts etc because probably most jobs out there do not require the kind of specific knowledge of a certain degree subject.

Are these companies going to hire 18 year olds who just have their A-levels? No, they want graduates.

(Original post by Hanvyj)
Look at grad schemes. There are about three catagories:

"Any Degree". Often for management, project management and business and probably loads of others.
"Numerate Degree". More technical, analyst or accountancy based
"Specified Degree". Accountant, Engineer, Doctor.

When I was applying There were a great many jobs that didn't specify the degree needed. I have worked with plenty of people who did Politics or the arts etc because probably most jobs out there do not require the kind of specific knowledge of a certain degree subject.

Are these companies going to hire 18 year olds who just have their A-levels? No, they want graduates.

Hence the name, grad scheme. They aren't employing people for their knowledge in their degree subject. If you have one of those degrees and everything else required then you will probably have just as much chance as someone who has done anything else at getting a job as a project manager in a big company grad scheme - its more dependent on your life experiences and work history anyway. The degree is a tick in the box. Have you ever applied to a grad scheme?

I'm on one, trust me when I say 95% of people don't touch the subject of their degree when they start work.

Well, I'm doing Sociology (hopefully) and i'm aware of people saying it's rubbish career-wise. I dunno though, it just seems like it will be interesting and will help me in life in other ways, you know? Give me a different perspective.

Not bothered about money. Been on £12,000 for the last 5 years or so, could continue that way if I had to.

Uni for me is going to be more freedom. I can move out (FINALLY) even if not permanently. I can meet new people in a new area. I can spend more time on finding things I like doing. Maybe do some volunteering or whatever.

I sort of agree with the OP. I did a Psych degree 3 years ago and ended up in an admin job for 3 years, albeit fairly well paid and in the NHS but not where I hoped I'd be after studying psychology for 3 years at a really good Uni. The way I see it, with my degree there were 3 options 1) Admin job (fairly easy to get) 2) generic grad scheme (had to be really good) 3) academia/assistant psych post/phd (like gold dust and you have to be amazing) so yeah not much choice I guess. Just my opinion of course!